


upbringing

by belivaird_st



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 22:33:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20246386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belivaird_st/pseuds/belivaird_st
Summary: An idea of what it would be like to meet Carol’s mother for the first time.





	upbringing

“You must be Therese,” Carol’s mother, Linda, spoke carefully, peering through a pair of round, rimless glasses. She stuck a freckled, manicured hand out. Her grip was tighter than expected, catching the young woman off guard. “My foolish daughter forgot to mention she had fallen in love with a _teenager_.”

“I’m thirty-two, Mrs. Ross,” Therese said, letting go of their hands to wipe her sweat on the side of her cloth shorts.

“Call me ‘Linda’. You’ll bring my husband back from the dead!”

“Daddy was a good man,” Carol protest.

“To you, and those cheap, lousy housewives, maybe.” Linda waved the subject away and gestured for them to follow her towards the house. She was a small, spunky old woman with a short, reddish-brown haircut.

Therese remained where she was on the gravel driveway and looked at Carol, willingly.

“Quick—now’s our chance to make a run for it,” Carol whispered harshly.

That got a smile. Therese waited and took Carol’s hand in hers once she stood in front of her to move forward and walk with perfect step.

Carol’s mother made them settle on the porch—both seated in rocking chairs with glasses of cold lemonade. Linda parked her small bottom on the wooden banister beam that was supporting the house. She was biting off a long end of a Slim Jim, chewing noisily.

“I never visit the city, because it’s far too polluted, for my liking,” Linda began. 

“Which is a shame, because you never get to see your granddaughter,” Carol pointed out. “She’ll be starting school again next month.”

“The Airds have already brainwashed her,” Linda shrugged. She bopped her head towards Therese. “Be careful with them—especially Jennifer. Such a prune!”

“We both can agree on that, Mother,” Carol chuckled.

Therese drank more of her lemonade and simply listened. She couldn’t believe she was breathing the same air as Carol’s own flesh and blood. Linda looked nothing like her, except maybe for the twinkle in her eyes.

“I knew Harge was wrong for you, but to go head over heels with women,” Linda snorted up with laughter. 

“I don’t know why that’s funny to you,” Carol snapped. “I find women attractive...”

Therese coughed, sensing the good vibes were running off course.


End file.
